Passenger in Palermo crash dies from injuries

Palermo — A Waterville man died from injuries he sustained after the Jeep Cherokee he was riding in crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer truck on Wednesday, Jan. 16.

Dean Camacho, 27, died of his injuries overnight, Maine Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland said in a press release issued Thursday, Jan. 17. At that time Christian Arsenault, 23, of China was listed in critical condition at Maine Medical Center.

McCausland said as of Tuesday, Jan. 22, he is unaware of any changes in Arsenault's status at the hospital; however, a spokeswoman at Maine Medical Center said Arsenault is no longer at the facility. He said officers will continue to monitor Arsenault and the accident is still under investigation.

Because the accident involved a fatality, McCausland said the District Attorney's Office will review evidence after the investigation is concluded.

According to the press release, the 5:45 a.m. crash was not weather-related, as snow had not begun to fall at that hour.

Trooper Donald Webber said Arsenault lost control of his Jeep Cherokee on a curve on North Palermo Road and it crossed the center line into the path of the oncoming tractor- trailer.

Arsenault, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown out the passenger's window and Camacho was pinned inside until rescue personnel were able to free him from the vehicle. The driver of the tractor-trailer, 63-year-old George Ingraham of Knox, was not injured.

Webber said speed was a likely factor in the crash. It took nearly four hours to clear the crash site.